Ghana: 7 Dead in Petrol Explosion
At least seven people have died and dozens more have been injured after an explosion at a petrol station in Accra, Ghana’s capital, on Saturday night.
The blast occurred when a tanker truck carrying natural gas caught fire in the Atomic Junction area of Legon suburb, triggering explosions at two nearby fuel stations.
Dramatic footage of the incident posted on social media showed a blazing mushroom cloud.
The incident sparked an outrage on social media, with many Ghanaians pushing the government to improve safety at fuel stations. There have been eight explosions at similar stations in Ghana over the last three years.
A petition created and addressed to President Nana Akufo-Addo demanding better regulation and inspection of facilities has already garnered 1500 signatures.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia visited the site of the explosion on Sunday morning. He offered his condolences to the victims’ families, adding: “Government is resolved, now more than ever, to ensure such an incident does not occur again.”
Image: Firefighters battled the inferno in the capital city of Accra [online image] (2017) sourced on 9 October 2017 from http://cdn.images.dailystar.co.uk/dynamic/204/photos/883000/Nuclear-Explosion-Pictures-Ghana-Atomic-Junction-Accra-Fuel-Gas-Video-Cause-1099883.png
